Tortilla-forming machine



3mm?. l0, 193@ L WOMEN@ jglb TORTILLA FORMING MACHINE Filed Dec.. l5, w27

mi@ @D Patented June 10, 1930 Y l UNlTED STATE" LUIS ROMERO, F MEXICO'CITY, MEXICO TORTILLA-FORMING MACHNE Application led December 15, 19122. Serial No. 240,229.

My invention relates to cake forming ma- A caire forming roller ll is journalled in chines and has as one of its objects the prothe vertical plates in close proximity to the vision of a machine of this character wherein forward pressure roller beneath the latter and dough from which the cakes are formed is carries a bevelled gear 15 upon one end therefirst flattened out, the cakes stamped or cut of, the latter being disposed eXteriorly of the therefrom, and conveyed to a suitable recepadjacent `vertical plate. Formed on this tacle. roller is a laterally extending dough cutting rlhe invention further provides a calze forinblade which is substantially il shaped in plan.

ing machine embodying pair of coacting That is, the blade entends longitudinally of .1.0 dough pressing rollers having means for dethe roller, is formed with circular end por- 30 taching the dough from one roller and subtiens and a restricted intermediate portion sequently detach the out or stamped cakes so that upon each revolution of the roller form the other roller. the blade will cut a circular cake from the l/Vith the preceding and other objects and sheet of dough as it is fed forwardly between advantages in mind, the invention consists in the pressure rollers. Any severed. dough e5 the novel combination of elements, construcparticles fall into a pan 2 removably arranged tions and arrangement of parts to be hereon the table beneath the calze forming roller. inafter specifically referred to, claimed and ln order to convey the cakes forwardly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, after the cake forming operation, an endless wherein: belt 16 entends horizontally between the an- "5G Figure l is a perspective of the invention; gle rails from the forward end of the latter Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the to a point below the forward pressure roller.

same; This endless belt passes around rollers 17, Figure 3 is a detail view of the cake cutting one of which is provided with a bevelled gear element embodied in the invention; and 18 meshing with an idler gear 19 journalled 75 `ldigure 4l is a perspective of one of the upon one of the angle bars and engaging the dough detachiiig members embodied in the gear 15. A crank handle 20 is fixed to one end invention. of the cake forming roller to rotate the latter teferring to the invention in detail a table and at the same time drive the pressure roll- 5 is provided embodying legs 6 and horizoners and advance the dough in a longitudinal so tally disposed spaced parallel angle rails i7. strip or sheet between the same. A horizon- A dough receiving hopper 8 is arranged tal pan supporting bracket 3 is supported by above the table 5 at one end thereof and supthe forward legs of the table to support a pan ported from vertically extending parallel or other suitable receptacle in position to re Q plates 9 attached to the angle bars 7. ceive the cakes as they are conveyed forward- .Disposed beneath the hopper and journal ly by the endless belt. led in the vertical plates is a pair of pressure As the dough is pressed or squeezed berollers 10 of such diameter as to project be tween the pressure rollers7 it will naturally yond the end walls of the hopper, the rollers adhere to the surface of both. 'llo detach the being equipped with intermeshing gear teeth dongh from the periphery of the rear pressure l1 whereby they are caused to rotate in oproller, means is provided comprising a U- posite directions to feed the dough from the shaped frame 20 embracing the side walls of hopper in alongitudinal strip. the hopper. 'lhis lil-shaped frame is formed f As illustrated in Figure 1 the lower edges with obliquely disposed extremities 21 having Q5 of the hopper lie close to the periphery of the laterally disposed pintles 22 which are piv- Q5 rollers and for this purpose the side walls of otally received in slots 23 of upstanding bearthe hopper are cut out from their opposite ing arms 241 on the upper edges of the plates ends on semi-circular lines 1'2, leaving de between the rollers. The extremities 21 eX- pending V-shaped extensions 13 which protend downwardly between the ends of the ject between the ends of the pressure rollers. rollers and the plates and carry a scraper wire 25 which extends longitudinally of the rollers below the hopper. As illustrated in Figure t the pintles are disposed ofi' center of the frame whereby to swing the latter downward- 1y to cause the scraper wire to contact with the periphery of the rear pressure roller where it will engage beneath thedough to detach it from this roller.

To detach the formed cakes, and dough strip from which they are cut, from the forward pressure roller, an identical dough detaching means is provided. In this instance the frame is pivoted in slotted bearing arms 27 projecting forward from the vertical plates and is normally retained in a position where its scraper wire contacts with the periphery of the roller at a point slightly above the endless belt. It will be observed that both U-shaped frames are detachably supported so that they can be removed'for the purpose of cleaning or repairing the scraper wires.

Vhat is claimed is l. In combination a hopper for receiving a body of plastic material, a pair of coacting f pressure rollers journalled below the same adapted to advance plastic material in a longitudinal sheet, a U-shaped frame pivoted oil dead center to the hopper, a flexible scraper element carried by the frame and normally held against one of the rollers to detach the plastic material therefrom.

2. In combination a horizontal support, a dough receiving hopper supported above the same, a pair of coacting pressure rollers journalled below the hopper for forming the dough in a longitudinal sheet, U-shaped trames, means pivotally supporting the frames oi center to swing about horizontal axes and normally tending to swing downwardly, a flexible element attachedvto each frame and engaging the rollers, one of the flexible elements serving to detach the dough from one roller and the other being subsequently operable to detach the doughvfrom the other roller.

3. In combination, a support, a pair of coacting pressure rollers rotatably supported thereon and between which dough is formed in a longitudinal sheet, U-shaped frames,

means to which said frames are horizontally pivotally supported off center, a fieXible element attached to each frame and engaging Y one of the rollers, one of the flexible elements serving to detach the dough sheet from one roller, and the other being subsequently 0perable to detach the dough from the other roller.

Signed at Mexico City in the Federal District, Republic of Mexico, this 22d day of November, A. D. 1927.

LUIS ROMERO. 

